Off the wire
• China donates 54, 000 USD to Namibia's poverty eradication ministry  • China, Africa launch arbitration center to handle disputes  • Zambian leader limits foreign travels  • Feature: In rural Zimbabwe, Chinese-built hospital brings relief to the poor  • Xinhua Insight: Demining clears pitfalls for China-Vietnam trade  • China Focus: China, CEE countries sign memo to promote Belt and Road Initiative  • Urgent: Alert level of threat lowered to 3 in Brussels  • 2nd LD Writethru: S. Korea, DPRK agree to hold vice ministers' meeting on Dec. 11  • Abbas: Israel responsible for Palestinian youth reaction  • China property sales growth to slow in 2016: Moody's  
You are here: 　 Home

Latvia gets new national security strategy

Xinhua, November 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Latvian parliament passed a national security plan on Thursday, defining the strategy and priorities for tackling risks to national security.

The plan was adopted by 59 votes from the ruling center-right Unity faction, the right-wing National Alliance and the centrist Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS), as well as the opposition For Latvia from the Heart (NSL) and the Latvian Bloc of Regions (LRA).

Nobody voted against the new security strategy, but 23 lawmakers representing the opposition left-wing Harmony faction, as well as two MPs of the National Alliance, abstained.

The strategy covers eight areas in which security risks are considered to be particularly serious, including threats to internal security, foreign intelligence and security services, among others.

According to the strategy, the most urgent measures Latvia has to take to ensure its security include beefing up its borders, improving the asylum policy and tackling risks of radicalization.

The strategy also provides for enhancing counterintelligence measures and the protection of state secrets, as well as the supervision of the investment program in which residence permits are provided to foreigners in exchange for investments in the Latvian economy.

To prevent military threats, Latvia intends to boost its defense capabilities and secure a long-term presence of NATO allies in its territory.

Society integration has been defined as a priority in dealing with threats to public unity.

Latvia also committed to taking part in multinational operations aimed at combating international terrorism and promoting cooperation among government, municipal and law enforcement authorities in dealing with risks of terrorism.

The plans foresee an effective cyber security policy to improve the detection of cyber threats and the ability to respond to them. Enditem